Matrix for typographical machines



Get. 3, 1933. A F UEST I 1,928,723

MATRIX FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES Filed Nov. 18, 1932 INVENTOR QJME'M Patented Oct. 3, 1933 MATRIX Fo R' TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES.

Alfred W. F. Guest, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Mergenthaler Linotype I I tion of New York Company, a corpora- 1 Application November '18, 1932' a Serial N0. 643,141

eam (cries-63) This invention relates to slug casting machines, such as linotype machines of thegeneral organization represented in United States Letters Patent No. 436,532 to O'. 'Mergenthaler,

" "6 wherein circulating matrices are released from a magazine in the order in which their characters are to appear in print and then assembled in line, the composed line transferred to the face of a slotted mold, the 'mold filled with molten 10 metal to form aslug or linotype against'the matrices which produce the type'characters thereon; andthe matrices thereafter returned through a distributing mechanism to the magazine irom which they startedi 1 j It has been found, in the case that the height of the'type characters above the top'edge or quad line of the slug body is insufiicient to prevent the quaddediportion of the slug from being inked during printing and producing. a smear on the printed paper. According to the prior art, matrices'for eifecting a low quad have been formed on their castin'g'edg'es each with a projection adapted'to extend into the mold slot, but such matrices have beenfound to be impracticable due to the peculiar operation of a slug casting machine wherein the alinementof the type forming matrices with the mold slot is effected by an upward movement of the line transporter or first elevator which brings the lower ears of the matrices up against an alining rib on the fr'ontiace of the mold. When such low quad matricesare'used; the firstelevator is prevented from'ris'ing to' eife'ct'alinement.

The'object o fthe present invention is toobviate this ob jectionablefeatiire and to provide a matrix which will'efiect the desired low quad dingwithout interfering with theproper alinementor the type forming matrices with the mold" slot; To'that end, the invention contemplates a special form of blank or Iquad matrix in which the low quad element (that enters the mold slot) ismounted seas to permit on relativemovement between it and the body, portion of the In the accompanying drawing, the invention has been'shown merely'by way of: example and in preferred form, and obviously many variations and modifications may 'be made therein without departing from the spiritof the invention. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment, except insofar as such limitations are specifiedin th'e appendedclaims. V o i 7 Referring to thedrawing: I if" ingei a a vertical section through the mold of quadded slugs,

andiirst elevator, showing as presented to the mold iniunalined condition, a line of matrices which includes one ormore of theimproved quad matrices, certain of the parts being broken away to illustrate the cooperation of the low quad element with'themold; a V

Fig. 2 isanjenlarged viewsimilar to Fig. 1,

showing the relation of the quad matrix tothe mold in, the 'alined condition of the composed Fig. 3 is a front elevation ofthecastingedge of-the quad matrix; 1 I 7 r Fig- 4 is a side elevation of the quad matrix,

partlybroken. away to show the interior construction; l Fig. 5 is a -transverse; section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; looking in the direction of the arrow; and V q 7 Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a slug produced by a line made of regular' and'quad matrices.

In the operation of the ordinary linotypemachine, a composed line (with or without blanks or'quadslof standard type producing matrices M is delivered to a line" transporter or first ele-r vatorB, which then presents the line to a slotted mold C carried by a 'rotatablemold discD. The

mold C shown is madeup ofa cap portion'c and a body portion c, which define between them a mold slot or cavity e in which the slug or linotype S is castlTo the front face of tlie bodyportion c of the mold there is secured an alining plateE formed with superposed con;

tinuous longitudinal grooves e, in which the lower ears on therearedges of the matrices enter when thelatterfare positioned before themold, it being understood; that" the matrices may. be

composedin the" line atan upper or lower lever as desired. After }the linehas thus beenpresented to the mold, the linetransporter B is raised slightly to bring all of the ears met the 7 matrices into engagement with an alining rib he formed on th e plateE oranfaliningribfci formed directly on themold; as the case maybe... f j.

Asbefore stated, itis'the object or the present invention .to providea lowgquad' matrix which will permit the upward movement of the first elevator in eifecting the alinement of the matriceswith the mold slot. "This quad matrix A comprisesj'like a regular matrix M, a bodyportion A of the usual rectangular shapeand provided at its four cornerswith-projecting ears A and which is formedat the top With'aM-shaped notch A having 'distributingteeth A} formed on its convergent walls.

- The body portion- A of thef'quad matrixi A is formed on its casting edge with a shallow recess A which extends through the body from one side to the other. Leading from the recess A is a second deeper but narrower recess A fully contained within the body A of the matrix. These recesses A and A are adapted to receivea' casting member a presenting a head portion a which fills the recess A except for a small clearance space a at the bottom and a stem portion a which fits snugly in the recess A except for a small clearance space a*' at the bottom. Thev clearance spaces a, and a are provided to enable the casting member to partake of a slight relative movement with respect to the body portion mately the same or slightly greater than that of the first elevator in effecting the alinement of the matrices with the mold slot. The stem portion a is formed near its upper end with a slot a through which passes 'a pin a anchored in the body portion A of the matrix A. This pin and slot connection retains the casting member in the recesses A and A Qyet permits of a relative vertical movement between the casting member a and the matrix body A. At its lower end, thestem, portion a is formed with a-verticalrecess a in which a compression spring a isarranged, the spring'projectingfrom the recess and bearing against the lower wall A of the recess A under suflicient pressure normally to maintain the casting member in its uppermost position, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

, Aswill be observed, the front or casting face of the head portion a is flush with the casting edge of the matrix body A except for the presence on the head portion of a quad element a which is adapted to enter the moldslot 0 This quad element will of course varyin height and width according to the matrix font in. use. In the 'fexample illustrated, the quad matrix is one of the larger varieties, the quad element a having a set width in thickness'of 3 ems" and a point' size in 'height of, say, 36 point, Of course, as just stated, these dimensions maybe varied to suit different conditions. When the quad matrix is to be machine-composed. and circulated through, the machine with the regular matrices, naturally the dimensions of the quad element will be more or less limited,.-more so as toset width than as to pointsize. When, however, the, quad matrix isnotrequired to be machine-composed or cir culated through the machine, the dimensions of the quad element'are practically unlimited, al, though in any case the main utility of the quad matrixwill be present when it is composedin line with type producing matrices which are alin ed with thelmoldby a relative movement of,

sition.

the mold and the line transporter.

When a lineof matrices composed of regular type producing matrices M and one or more of the improved quad matrices Ais' delivered to the first elevator B} which thereafter descends until arrested at the proper. casting level by a stop F located on top of the vise frame G in which'the' first elevator Bis slidably mounted, the mold disc D carrying the mold C occupies its retracted p0 Immediately after the .line' of matrices is presented to existing position, the disc D advances to bring? the mold C into casting relation, with the line-of matrices. It is during this forward movement of the mold disc D and mold C that the quadding element a enters the-mold slot 0 andtheears m andA of the regular and quadding matrices, respec- 5 tively, enter the alining groove e. Immediately thereafter, the first elevator B rises slightly to effect the alinement of the line of matrices with the mold slot 0 Due to the engagement of the quadding element a in the mold slot 0 the casting member a is held against vertical movement, but because of the relative'movement permitted between the casting element a and thematrix body A, the latter is free to be moved upwardly against the pressure of the spring a when the alinement of the line of matrices with the mold slot is effected. V

In Fig; 6, there is illustrated a slug S cast from a line composed of the regular type producing matrices M and a plurality of the improved quad matrices A. The slug is of the ordinary recessed variety comprising a body portion S and an overhanging character bearing portion S supported by transverse ribs S It will be noted that tion of the quad elements a into the mold slot,

and this portion s of the slug S is therefore sufficiently low to escape being inked and smearing the paper during printing.

While the foregoing description deals specifically with a low quad matrix adapted to be used in conjunction with regular type producing matrices, the invention comprehends any form of matrix having a projection adapted to enter the mold, whether for the purpose described or any otherpurpose.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: l

I. Amatrix'for use in slug casting machines, comprising a body portion provided on its casting edge with a relatively movable mold entering element. Q 7

.2. A matrix for use in slug casting machines, comprising a. body portion provided on its casting edge with a mold entering element mounted for vertical mo vement relative .to the body 4, A matrix for use in slug casting machines,

comprising a' body portion formed in, one edge with a. recess and having a casting member movably mounted in said recess and formed'with a,

mold entering element, said casting membernormallyoccup'ying a definite position in said recess and being movable from said normalposition. 5 A matrix for use in slug casting machines, comprising a body portion formed in one edge with a recess, a-caLsting member movably mounted in said recess and formed with a mold entering element, and spring means acting to maintain said casting member normally in a definite position infsai d recess'and to permit of, a relative movement between the casting member and the body portion. I f f .6. A matrix for use in slug casting machines, comprising a body portionformed in one edge with a recess,;a casting member formed with a ranged between the casting member and the matrix body for maintaining the casting memberin v normal position and to permit of a relative movement between the casting member and the matrix body.

7. A matrix as described in claim 6," wherein the spring seats in a recess formed in the stem portion of the casting member andprojects therefrom to bear against the lower wall of the recess in the matrixbody in which the c ting member is fitted.

8. A matrix as described in claim 6, wherein W the head portion of the casting member seats in a shallow recess formed on the casting edge of the matrix body and extending through the body from one side to the other, and the stem portion seats in a deeper recess leading from said shallow recess and fully contained within the matrix body.

9. A matrix as described in claim 6, wherein the head portion of the casting member seats in a shallow recess formed on the'casting edge of the matrix body and extending through the body from one side to the other, and the stem portion seats in a deeper recess leading from'said shallow recess and fully contained within the matrix body, said head portion having its front face flush with the casting edge of the matrix body,

and being formed with a mold entering element projecting therefrom. I

10. A matrix as described in-claim 6,wherein the head portion of the casting member seats in a shallow recess formed on the casting edge of the matrix body and extending through the body from one side to the other, and the stem portion seats in a deeper recess leading from said shallow recess and fully contained within the matrix body, said head and stem portions filling their respective containing recesses except for a clearance space to permit of arelative vertical movement between the casting member and the matrix body. I

11. A matrix as described in claim 6, characterized by-the fact that the casting member is of less height than the height of the recess in which it is fitted and that the difference betweenthese two heights determines the amount of relative movement permitted betweenthe castwith a recess, a castingmember comprising a head portion and a stem portion and being mounted in said recess for movement relative to the matrix body, a slot formed transversely through the stem portion and through which a pin anchored in the matrix body passes to retain the casting member in the recess, and a spring fitted in a recess formed in thelower edge of the stem portion, said spring being adapted to project from the recess inwhich it is fitted and bear against the lower wall defining the recess in the matrix body with sufiicient pressure to maintain the casting member in normal position, and being compressible to permit of a relative movement between the casting member and the matrix body.

13. In or for a slug casting machine, the combination of aslotted mold, a line of matrices including one or more matrices having each a body portion formed with a mold entering element, and a movable transporter for presenting and alining the line of matrices with the mold slot, said mold entering element being movable with respect to the body portion of the matrix to permit the movement of the transporter in effecting alinement.

'14. In or for a slug casting machine, the combination of a slotted mold, a line of matrices including one or more matrices having each a body portion provided with a relatively movable casting member formed with a mold, entering element, and a movable transporter for present-'- ing the line of matrices to the mold for casting and thereafter moving the line of matrices bodily to eifect their alinement with the mold slot, the relative movement of the casting member and the matrix body permitting the movement of thetransport'er after the mold entering element has engaged with the mold slot. 1

15. In or for a slug casting machine, the combination of 'a slotted mold, a line of matrices adapted to cooperate with the mold for casting a'slug, and a. vertically movable transporter for presenting the line to the mold and alining the matrices with the mold slot by a slight upward movement, said line including one or more matrices having a body portion provided with a relatively movable casting member formed with a mold entering element, and means for holding said casting member in normal position to enter 140 the mold slot before alinement of the line of matrices is effected, said holding means being yieldable to permit of avrelative movement between the casting member and the'matrix body, m

whereby when the mold entering element is engaged in'the ,m'old slot the transporter will be permitted to raise the line of matrices to effec alinement. r

' ALFRED W. F. GUEST. 

